


Tony Stark's Guide to Rescuing a Cat

by Whoomst



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Betaed, Cat Dad Tony Stark, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, M/M, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark-centric, b99 references, tony rescues and then adopts a cat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:47:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28294053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whoomst/pseuds/Whoomst
Summary: Tony didn't think he was a cat person. At least not until he found an injured cat in his backyard.
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Comments: 17
Kudos: 82
Collections: IronStrange Gift Exchange 2020





	Tony Stark's Guide to Rescuing a Cat

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lunaxel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunaxel/gifts).



> Written for the IronStrange Haven Discord Server Gift Exchange. I hope you enjoy this Luna <3
> 
> Thanks to [allenabeille](https://archiveofourown.org/users/allenabeille/pseuds/allenabeille) for betaing this!

Tony woke up to birds chirping outside his window and sunlight seeping in through the blinds. He sighed and buried his face in Stephen’s shoulder. Stephen stirred. Tony heard a sigh before he felt a hand run through his hair.

“Morning.” Stephen’s morning voice was so cute.

“Good morning, honey,” Tony replied, his voice muffled by Stephen’s pyjamas.

He felt the other man drop a kiss on the top of his head.

“What time is it?” Stephen's gravelly voice was still laced with sleep.

“Quarter to eight."

" Gotta get up. I need to reach the Sanctum by nine at the latest.”

Tony made a displeased noise and tightened his arm around Stephen. He tended to take off his prosthetic at night.

“You still have some time,” Tony grumbled, wanting to draw out the goodbye for as long as possible. Stephen was going on a mission for about five days. Tony was incredibly anxious about his partner going to another dimension because there was no way for Tony to contact him. Also, the fact that he got bedridden for three days the last time he went to a different dimension did not help.

“I need a shower, Tony.” Stephen tried to get up but Tony didn't let go.

“You can join me in the shower,” Stephen said, and he could hear the barely concealed amusement in his voice. Tony pursed his lips as he reluctantly parted from warmth of Stephen's body.

“You know how to make me get up, baby.”

***

After a long shower, some pancakes that Tony made for breakfast and a parting kiss, Stephen finally portaled to the Sanctum and Tony was left alone. Even though he had been assured that it was a safe diplomatic mission to a friendly dimension, he was still worried about Stephen. Tony, wanting to distract himself, mentally went through all the things he had to do for the day - from repairs on Peter’s suit to checking the company emails. He decided to get a second cup of coffee before he finally started his day. 

Carrying his steaming cup of coffee, he opened the door to the porch and stepped outside for some fresh air before he could inevitably lock himself in the garage. He had been sitting outside for barely a few minutes when he heard a crunch, and then faint distressed meowing. Alert, Tony abandoned his coffee at the table outside and followed the noise. As he moved around the foliage, the pained sounds increased in volume until he found a small cat with a bleeding leg, lying in a bush. 

“Oh my...” Tony trailed off as his eyes widened and he immediately knelt down and the cat meowed even more loudly, the distress in its voice increasing.

It was a tiny black and white cat with grey eyes, its fur muddled and its eyes full of fear and pain. Its leg lay at an awkward angle that couldn't be natural. He gently touched the feline's head. The kitten turned and licked his finger, meowing softly. Tony tried to check for any other injuries but found none. He picked it up while trying to stabilize its leg with the prosthetic arm to not cause even more damage. 

Tony slowly picked it up, cradling the small form against his chest and swiftly walked back to the cabin, his expression worried.

“Friday, what should I do?" Tony was so glad he had installed her at the cabin.

“It looks like the cat has severe leg injuries, boss. Not something you can treat at home. I suggest driving the cat to the nearest vet. You will reach there in 40 minutes if you leave right now.” 

“Thanks, baby girl. I don't know what I'd do without you.”

***

It took fifty minutes to reach the clinic. Tony was driving slowly, trying not to jostle the cat in the back seat. It was mostly quiet during the ride, situated carefully in a box Tony had found. He had put in a few towels for its comfort. Thankfully, the office was mostly empty and so the vet could see them right away. It also helped that even though the receptionist recognised him, she did not react much. He didn't need a mob at the clinic.

The mechanic turned his attention to the vet as he came out of the examination room.

“The cat appears to be malnourished and dehydrated and has severe leg trauma, probably from a motor vehicle accident. She has also lost a lot of blood.” The vet reminded him of Bruce in full doctor-mode. “-Her left hind leg needs to be amputated.” 

Tony’s eyes widened and his heart broke for the poor kitten.

***

Tony spent the next few hours in the waiting room, filled with anxiety, occasionally answering some emails, and googling the implications of leg amputations in cats. Most of what he read online indicated that the kitten would be alright but he couldn't help dwelling on the what-if. The receptionist told him that he didn’t need to be there since the cat wasn't his as she handed him a cup of coffee but he ignored her advice and stayed anyway. He _had_ to see this all the way through. 

Time was moving excruciatingly slowly, but finally, the vet surgeon came out. Tony felt a little relieved when he saw the smile on his face.

“The operation was successful, Mr. Stark,” he smiled. “The cat will be okay. There is a good local shelter in this area whom we work with often. I can get Marissa - the receptionist - to contact them and a volunteer would be here soon.”

“A shelter? What for?” Tony scrunched his eyebrows. His overwhelming feeling of relief was replaced by confusion.

“For taking care of the cat after her procedure. Sorry - I assumed that you don’t want to take care of a feral cat. Do you want to foster her?”

Tony paused for a moment. In the few hours he had known her, he had become pretty attached. And he _had_ been thinking about adopting a pet for a while. Though, to be honest, he was looking mostly at dogs. The thought of getting a cat hadn't crossed his mind. 

“The process will not be easy, Mr. Stark. Cats with three legs are completely healthy and competent on their own, but they might require an adjustment period. She will be stressed and anxious, and she might lash out. Especially because this appears to be a young feral cat. She will also need to stay in the hospital for a few days.” 

“Can I see her?”

“Yes, she should be all bandaged up by now. However, she would still be under the effect of anaesthesia.”

Tony nodded.

They moved to the post-op room and as soon as Tony saw the cat’s sleeping form, hooked up to IVs and pain meds and decided right there at that moment that he would keep her. He had his family when he lost his arm and he wanted this cat to have a permanent home too for when she woke up.

“There’s no need to call the shelter,” Tony’s voice was determined. “I will keep her.”

Cats were considered more independent anyway, weren't they? Tony was optimistic that it would work out.

***

A few days later found Tony back at the cabin with the cat he'd dubbed Zebra. He’d had Friday order all the cat essentials- cat bed, cat food, litter, toys, everything. He had spent the past few days partially at the veterinary clinic since Zebra was still kept there so the vets could monitor her status. Tony had already set-up the litter box and bed when he had been home in-between. So, after coming back to the cabin, Zee made herself home in the banana-shaped cat bed immediately. Tony kept a close eye on her in case she started licking her stitches. 

Taking care of Zee was a great distraction from Stephen’s absence (and also his loneliness, not that he would ever admit that to anyone). For the past few days, he had been by her side - feeding her, cuddling her, playing with her. She was a bit slow when she had first woken up in the post-op room but after the first twenty-four hours, she became extremely playful and energetic. 

This is not to say that everything was sunshine and rainbows. Zee did lash out a few times while learning how to walk on three legs. But it got better. She did cry, but Tony stayed with her and consoled her. They developed a special bond.

Zee, to put it mildly, absolutely _revered_ Tony. 

She helped the man in many ways too. She helped drive away his intrusive thoughts. She helped with his anxiety, and was an amazing cuddle-buddy. Tony loved taking afternoon naps with his fur baby. She was also surprisingly social for a stray cat. She charmed all the workers at the clinic along with Tony. He just hoped her charm would work on Stephen as well. 

Zee walked into his life at the right time and Tony was all the better for it.

As soon as Tony situated himself on the couch with his freshly-made cup of coffee, Zee climbed up the couch and made herself home in his lap. Tony gave her a soft smile.

“Hey, Zee,” Tony smiled as he rubbed her head. “Welcome home.”

He thought about his family's reactions at this new development. Rhodey had been “subtly” encouraging him to get a support animal. Peter absolutely adored animals. The only thing stopping him from getting one was the fact that his building didn’t allow pets. Pepper was fine with animals as long as they weren’t being cared for by her. However, he was worried about Stephen. The sorcerer had already been spending most of his free time at the cabin. So much so that he had been practically living there, and it was surely going to be a big change for him. He hoped that Stephen wasn’t averse to cats because he had grown rather attached to Zee.

Tony was pulled from his thoughts by a knock on the front door. It was Peter and Rhodey as he had expected. He welcomed Peter with a hug and then allowed him to run in. He greeted Rhodey and welcomed him into the living room just as he heard Peter’s high-pitched voice from the living room.

“Mr. Stark! Mr. Stark! Is that a kitten?!” Peter was vibrating with excitement. Tony couldn't help the letting out a smile.

“No, this is a zebra,” he rolled his eyes as he answered the boy's question. He noticed Zee licking her stitches and went to gently stop her.

Peter ignored his remark. 

Tony, after making sure that Zee would not lick her stitches again, sat down on the sofa. Zee meowed at his feet, wanting to be let up. She couldn’t jump that high yet. He picked her up as Peter threw his bag on the floor and he settled himself beside his mentor.

“Peter, Rhodey, meet Zee.”

“When did you get a kitten?” the teenager asked.

“Yeah, Tones. When did you get a kitten and why didn’t you tell me?” Rhodey raised his eyebrows.

***

After explaining how he found the kitten to Peter and Rhodey, Peter decided to rope the small eager kitten and a reluctant Tony into a photography session while Rhodey awwed. The boy also insisted that Tony make an Instagram account for the cat but he vehemently rejected that proposal. 

After an hour of being told to sit in various poses, Tony finally put his foot down and they ordered some takeout and put on a movie. They were re-watching Star Wars on Peter’s request. Zee, already having taken a liking to Peter, had curled up in his lap. The Spiderling absentmindedly stroked her fur while engrossed in the film. Halfway through the movie, Tony felt a hand on his shoulder and heard a quiet voice whisper his name. He recognised those shaking hands and the deep baritone immediately.

“Doc! You’re home early.” Tony looked up at him, delighted. His eyes immediately went to scan his face and body for any injuries. Thankfully, there didn't appear to be any, not even the regular bruises.

“Yeah, the negotiation didn’t take as long as we expected.” Stephen dropped a kiss on his head and moved to settle on Tony's open side on the couch.

Rhodey and Peter greeted him as well. As he was ruffling Peter’s hair, he noticed the furball in his lap.

“And who’s the new family member? You all already replaced me?” 

“Yes, you’re very replaceable.” Tony rolled his eyes fondly.

“This is Zebra! Mr. Stark found her injured near the cabin and rescued her," came Peter's enthusiastic answer.

“I see. And why is she called Zebra?”

“Because Tony has atrocious naming skills, Stephen. I thought you knew that,” Rhodey chimed in.

“I wanted to name her after a black and white animal, since, you know, she is black and white.”

“Then why didn’t you name her something like ‘Panda’,” Stephen questioned. “She doesn’t even have stripes.”

“Because I didn’t think of it,” Tony replied indignantly. 

“For such a genius, Tony, you’re a huge dumbass,” Rhodey snorted.

***

Later that night, when everyone had retired to their rooms, Tony finally had a chance to ask him about the thing that had been eating at him for the past few days.

“Hey, I know you acted like you were fine with it earlier, but are you okay with me bringing home a cat without discussing it with you first? I know you haven’t moved in officially but you spend most of you free time here. This should’ve been a decision for both of us.” Tony’s throat felt dry. “I didn’t even-"

“Tony,” Stephen cut him off, “It’s more than okay. It’s still your house. And I grew up on a farm with several animals. I’m completely fine with a cat. Besides, she’s too cute to not fall in love with, so I don’t blame you at all for keeping her at all.” 

Tony peered into his blue-green eyes looking for any signs of insincerity, but there weren't any. He felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his chest.

“I’m glad. But I don’t agree that this isn’t your house. I didn’t want to bring this up this way. I know you can’t permanently move out of the Sanctum, and it’s hard for you to get days off and spend nights here since you’re its master and you need to be there, but I was talking to Wong and we might’ve come up with a solution. We can make a permanent gateway between here and the Sanctum. It’ll allow you easy access to the Sanctum in the case of an emergency. Plus, Peter will not have to drive for an hour and a half if he wants to come here. Wong also mentioned some magic mumbo-jumbo about connecting the energies of the two places and how it'll allow you to feel what was happening in the Sanctum. What do you think?” Tony’s rambling betrayed his nervousness. 

Stephen was silent. It took Tony a moment to recognise the expression on his partner's face. _Love._

“I’d love that, dear. That’s a great idea.” Stephen moved closer to him and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. “I’d love to live with you.” Stephen was looking at him with so much adoration and love that he felt overwhelmed. 

“I’d love that too." Tony felt like his chest would burst with the amount of love he felt for this man at that moment. "I love _you_ , Stephen.” 

“I love you too, Tony.” Stephen leaned in for a much deeper kiss.

Before the kiss could progress into something more, it was interrupted by a muffled meow from the hallway. 

“Interrupted by the cat, huh?” Tony broke away, laughing.

“Mhm,” Stephen mumbled as he went to open the door and let the kitten in. 

“Hey there, Zee,” he beamed at the kitty. “Come to sleep with your dad?” The cat meowed and jumped up onto the bed. Tony gasped and his eyes widened.

“Wow, Zee! That was your biggest jump yet since the surgery! I’m so proud of you,” He scratched her chin. He could see Stephen looking at the two of them in his peripheral vision, his eyes twinkling.

They both got into the bed and Zee curled herself into a ball on Stephen’s chest as soon as they had settled.

"Left me for your new dad, huh," Tony chuckled. He scratched her behind her ear and she purred.

“She’s a purring machine, I swear."

“That she is,” Tony mumbled, settling his head on Stephen's shoulder.

"You know," Tony said suddenly, "I'm really glad you're okay with her. I've known her for a few days but if anything happened to her, I'd kill everyone in this room and then myself."

"Did you just quote Brooklyn Nine-Nine?" Tony could almost hear Stephen roll his eyes.

“Yes, and what of it?” 

Stephen didn't bother him with a reply; choosing instead to wrap his warm arms around him, without jostling Zee. Tony had missed sleeping in those arms. He let out a contented sigh.

Tony felt at home.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
